Hell
In the Pickthall English translation of the Qur'an, the word hell appears 103 times in 54 suras. But it is referenced in other ways, such as ''the Fire'' or ''doom''. All told, hell is mentioned some 224 times in 81 suras, frequently being described in graphic detail. Like the biblical hell, the primary form of punishment underscores the obvious fact that the religion was created by savages with no regard for the suffering of living creatures, humans in particular. Unlike the Christian hell, which is described in terms almost vague enough to allow it to be explained away as metaphor, the Muslim hell is unmistakable, impossible to dismiss. The general experience of the damned is that of being burned alive in literal fire. While it took Christian theologians a couple of centuries after Christ to begin dwelling gruesomelyChristian Hell from The First to The Twentieth Century, H. Bradlaugh Bonner, Watts & Co., 1913, p. 47 on the horrors of hell (as though being burned alive in fire weren't enough), Muhammad gave Muslim commentators a substantial head start. =The Torments of Hell= Hell is a dungeon and an abyss: a roaringRoaring (67:7), cracklingCrackling (25:12) place of ignominyIgnominy (10:27) and shameShame (40:60, 41:16, 45:9, 46:20, 34, 51:14, 9:63), sighing and wailingWailing (11:106, 21:100), toiling and wearinessToil and weariness (88:3), scorching wind, scalding water, and black smokeWind, water, smoke (56:42-43, 55:44). It has seven gatesGates (15:44), and is guardedGuarded (96:18, 66:6) by nineteen angels19 Angels (74:30) and perhaps other heavenly entitiesOther entities (39:71). The damned are dragged there, on their faces, through boiling waterDragged through boiling water (40:71-72). The fire itself is kept forever stokedStoked (17:97). It surrounds the damned both above and belowEncompassed in fire (39:16, 29:54-55), enclosing them like a tentLike a tent (18:29). In spite of the ongoing torment, inmates will somehow find ways to quarrelQuarreling (38:59-61) and blameBlame (7:38-39, 47:48, 50, 29:25) each other for their plight. Some call on Allah to punish doublyDouble punishment (38:61, 7:38, 33:68) those whom they blame, to which Allah responds that everyoneEveryone double-punished (7:38) will receive double punishment. As though the fire weren't enough, unpleasant foodForce feeding (56:52-53, 37:62, 44:43-44, 88:6, 2:174, 4:10) and drink will be forced upon all inmates. The food will cause chokingChoking (73:13) and will neither nourish nor relieve hungerUseless food (88:7). In some forms, the food will boil like molten brassMolten brass (44:45-46). The drink will often come in the form of putridFestering water (14:16), boilingBoiling water to drink (56:54, 93, 6:70, 37:67, 88:5) water, the latter of which will tear and melt the bowelsBowel damage (47:15, 22:20), and will at times simply be pouredBoiled heads (44:48, 22:19) on the inmates' heads. The damned will be by turns forced to drink liquidsLiquids to drink (10:4) boiling hot and icy cold, and to suffer other torments of alternating extremesAlternating extremes (38:57-58, 78:25). On hooked rods of ironRods of iron (22:21), in fettersFetters (73:12), chainsChains (25:13, 14:49, 69:32), collarsCollars (40:71, 3:180, 76:4) and clothing made of pitchClothing of pitch (14:50) and fireClothing of fire (22:19), these wretches will begBegging for relief (13:14, 35:37) for death or even temporary reliefTemporary relief (40:49), but it will notRelief not granted (87:13, 35:36, 20:74, 10:53, 40:50, 14:17, 32:20, 22:22) be granted; the punishment is non-stopNon-stop torment (40:46) for eternityEternal punishment (7:40). They will be mocked by everyoneMocking (54:48, 10:52, 39:71, 40:75, 44:49-50, 32:20, 52:14-16, 3:181), including the fortunate soulsMockers (7:44) in heaven, even while beggingMore begging (7:50) for water, or indeed any kind of reliefMore begging (78:24). In some cases, begging will result in further punishment for the inmates of hell, such as having water like molten lead showeredBoiling showers (18:29) onto their faces. Certain body parts are mentioned specifically--usually faces, on which the damned are often dragged, and which are burnedBurned faces (14:50, 23:104, 33:66) with fire. The skin is a source of exquisite misery: the fire will consume it, but when it is consumed and/or meltedMelted skin (22:20), it is always replacedPerpetual skin renewal (4:56) with new skin in order to maximize the torment. Other body parts such as the backsBack injury (21:39) and flanksFlank injury (9:35) are mentioned, although less frequently. As is typical, Allah reserves his prerogative to change his mind. In this particular case, it seems that he might releaseAmnesty (6:128, 3:185) some fortunate souls from hell, although it is never made clear exactly what his reasons might be. We are reminded throughout the Qur'an that Allah reserves the right to make choicesAllah's prerogative (32:13) that to us may seem arbitrary. ---- Citations ---- Category:Islam